C24 Bank Guide 2026: Accounts, Fees & Safety Explained

C24 Bank is the direct bank of the CHECK24 group and offers a current account in three tiers: the free C24 Smart and the paid C24 Plus and C24 Max. The account comes with a Mastercard debit card and, depending on the model, a girocard. C24 is a German bank based in Frankfurt with a BaFin licence; deposits are protected up to 100,000 euros by the statutory guarantee scheme. The main advantage is the fee-free account management of the Smart model. One thing to know: free cash withdrawals are capped at a monthly allowance that depends on the tier.

Key takeaways

The C24 Smart current account is permanently free; Plus (5.90 euros/month) and Max (9.90 euros/month) offer more free withdrawals and an optional girocard.
C24 Bank currently pays 0.50% p.a. on balances up to 50,000 euros (as of July 2026); the Tagesgeld Pocket earns 0.50% on balances up to 100,000 euros, credited monthly.
Depending on the account model, 4, 6 or 8 withdrawals per month are fee-free, after that each withdrawal costs 2.00 euros; the foreign-currency fee is 0%.
Deposits are protected up to 100,000 euros per customer through the statutory German deposit guarantee scheme (EdB).
BaFin imposed a fine on C24 Bank in October 2024; this has no effect on ongoing customer business or deposit protection.

What is C24 Bank and who is behind it?

C24 Bank stands behind the comparison portal CHECK24. C24 Bank GmbH is a German neobank headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, founded in 2020 as a subsidiary of the CHECK24 group. Unlike a pure payment provider, it is a fully licensed bank supervised by Germany's financial regulator, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).

The product range is deliberately lean: a fully digital current account and a savings account. There are no branches; everything runs through the app or online banking. For people who already manage their money on a smartphone, that can be convenient. If you value in-person advice at a branch, a traditional bank will suit you better.

The three account models at a glance

C24 offers the current account in three tiers that differ mainly in the monthly fee, cashback and the number of free cash withdrawals. The table below summarises the figures published by C24 and independent sources. Because banks adjust their terms, the current price and service list is always decisive.

C24 Bank account models per C24 and Handelsblatt (as of June 2026). The current price and service list is always authoritative.
Model	Monthly fee	Cashback	Best for
C24 Smart	0.00 EUR / month	Points per card spend	Beginners, simple needs
C24 Plus	5.90 EUR / month	0.5% cashback (up to 12 EUR / month)	Active card users
C24 Max	9.90 EUR / month	Higher cashback, more withdrawals	Heavy users, frequent travellers

A CHECK24 points system runs in the background: every card payment automatically earns points you can redeem within the CHECK24 ecosystem. The Plus and Max tiers add a percentage cashback, which C24 states is 0.5% per card payment with a monthly cap. Whether the monthly fee pays off depends on how much you spend by card.

Cards, payments and cash withdrawals

The C24 current account includes a C24 Mastercard debit card. You can pay contactless, online and abroad wherever Mastercard is accepted; Apple Pay and Google Pay are supported. Note the difference from a classic credit card: with a debit card the amount is debited directly from your account, with no separate credit line. A girocard is available depending on the tier and is accepted more widely at some ATMs and checkouts.

On cash: free withdrawals are not unlimited but tied to a monthly allowance. C24 Smart includes 4, C24 Plus 6 and C24 Max 8 fee-free withdrawals per month; each additional one costs 2.00 euros, and the daily ATM limit is 2,500 euros. Cash-in-shop at supermarket checkouts counts toward the same allowance: at more than 12,000 partners such as REWE, dm, Penny, Rossmann and toom, up to 300 euros per transaction and 999.99 euros per 24 hours are possible. Abroad, C24 states it charges no foreign-currency fee (0%), although the local ATM operator may add its own surcharge, which is shown before payout. For details, see our German guide on free cash withdrawals.

Interest on balances and savings

One feature C24 advertises is interest on the current-account balance. According to C24, the bank currently pays 0.50% p.a. on balances up to 50,000 euros per account (as of July 2026). You can also set up several "Pockets" within the app: each Pocket earns 0.50% interest on balances up to 5,000 euros, credited quarterly. Rates like these change often. So do not rely on a single number; check the rate that currently applies directly with C24 before you open an account.

For pure savings, C24 also offers a Tagesgeld Pocket: it earns 0.50% p.a. on balances up to 100,000 euros, with interest credited monthly instead of quarterly. If you want to compare offers methodically, a calm look at several providers helps. You can browse our current-account comparison and securities-account comparison.

Safety and deposit protection

On safety, C24 Bank is held to the same legal standards as any other German bank. Balances on the current and savings account are protected by the statutory German deposit guarantee scheme, the Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken (EdB), up to 100,000 euros per customer, with payout within 7 days in a compensation event. The legal basis is the Deposit Guarantee Act (EinSiG). Your rights and obligations around a payment account are set out in the Payment Accounts Act (ZKG).

The German consumer advice centre (Verbraucherzentrale) generally recommends checking the price and service list before opening any account and watching out for fees on services you rarely use.

Regulatory notes and recent developments

In October 2024, BaFin imposed a fine of 1.25 million euros on C24 Bank because suspicious-activity reports required under anti-money-laundering rules were systematically filed late between 2021 and 2023. In November 2025, BaFin also identified shortcomings in the bank's internal controls. As of the current status (July 2026), no further measures are pending.

In May 2026, C24 Bankenservice GmbH closed its Mainz location, where back-office tasks for around 70 employees were based. The bank cited economic and strategic reasons; the trade union ver.di criticised the move. This has no immediate effect for existing customers; the statutory deposit guarantee remains unaffected. Further background on the criticism can be found in a press release by ver.di and at BaFin.

Pros and cons of C24 Bank

No account suits everyone. The summary below helps you judge C24 Bank realistically rather than relying on advertising alone.

In favour

Smart model with no monthly fee and no minimum deposit
German bank with a BaFin licence and statutory deposit protection
Interest on balances plus cashback on the higher tiers
No foreign-currency fee when paying or withdrawing abroad

Worth considering

Free withdrawals are capped by an allowance per tier
No branches - app and online banking only
Interest is promotional and can change
App and support are primarily in German

Reviews and ratings

A look at review portals rounds out the picture. On Trustpilot C24 Bank reaches 4.4 out of 5 stars across around 16,250 reviews (as of June 2026). Users often praise the app, the quick account switch and the fee-free Smart model. Criticism occasionally targets customer service and response times. Such portals offer a sense of the mood but do not replace your own comparison against your personal needs.

Is C24 Bank right for you?

Whether C24 Bank fits you depends on your daily routine. If you want a free, fully digital account, withdraw cash occasionally and use the card regularly, the Smart model usually works well. If you pay a lot by card or travel abroad often, weigh the cashback and the larger withdrawal allowances of Plus or Max against the monthly fee. Before you commit, a structured comparison of several accounts pays off - on monthly fee, interest, free withdrawals, foreign-use terms and card setup. See our current-account comparison guide.

Note: This guide is for orientation and does not replace individual advice. Terms, interest and fees can change; the current price and service list of C24 Bank is always decisive. This article contains affiliate links: if you sign up through them, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

Who is behind C24 Bank?

C24 Bank GmbH is a German neobank based in Frankfurt am Main and part of the CHECK24 group. It was founded in 2020 and holds a full German banking licence supervised by BaFin. Its main products are a current account and a savings (Tagesgeld) account.

Is C24 Bank really free?

The entry model, C24 Smart, has no monthly fee and no minimum monthly deposit requirement according to the bank. The higher tiers, C24 Plus and C24 Max, charge a monthly fee in return for extra benefits such as cashback and a larger free-withdrawal allowance. So "free" applies to the Smart model, not to every service.

What account models does C24 Bank offer?

C24 offers three tiers: the free C24 Smart, the C24 Plus and the C24 Max, the latter two with a monthly fee. They differ in cashback, the number of free cash withdrawals and extra features. The current Preis- und Leistungsverzeichnis (price and service list) is always the authoritative source.

Which card comes with the C24 account?

The account includes a C24 Mastercard (debit). Depending on the model, a girocard is also available. With the Mastercard you can pay and withdraw worldwide wherever Mastercard is accepted. The debit card has no separate credit line, so it is not a classic credit card.

Does C24 Bank pay interest on the balance?

C24 states it currently pays 0.50% p.a. on the current-account balance up to 50,000 euros per account (as of July 2026); Pockets earn 0.50% up to 5,000 euros per Pocket, credited quarterly. The separate Tagesgeld Pocket (savings pocket) earns 0.50% on balances up to 100,000 euros, credited monthly. Interest rates change frequently, so always check the current figure directly with C24 or in the price and service list.

How many free cash withdrawals are included?

The number of fee-free withdrawals depends on the account model: 4 withdrawals with C24 Smart, 6 with C24 Plus and 8 with C24 Max per month; after that C24 charges 2.00 euros per withdrawal. The daily ATM limit is 2,500 euros. Cash-in-shop at partner checkouts (more than 12,000 partners such as REWE, dm, Penny and Rossmann) counts toward the same monthly allowance and is capped at 300 euros per transaction and 999.99 euros per 24 hours.

Is my money safe with C24 Bank?

C24 Bank is a German licensed bank supervised by BaFin. Deposits are protected by the statutory German deposit guarantee scheme, the Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken (EdB), up to 100,000 euros per customer, with payout within 7 days in a compensation event. This is the same protection standard that applies to traditional branch banks.

Is C24 Bank good for expats?

C24 is fully digital with no branches, which suits people who manage banking by app. The app and website are primarily in German, so a basic level of German or a translation tool helps during sign-up. Account opening requires identity verification and a German address. Compare it against other accounts before deciding.

C24 Bank Guide 2026: Accounts, Fees and Safety Explained